IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/irpnmk/v22y2025i3d10.1007_s12208-025-00440-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The trends of fundraising in Iranian charities: methods, drivers, and risks

Author

Listed:
  • Seyed Hosein Seyedi

    (Shahrood University of Technology)

  • Ali Najjar

    (University of Science and Technology)

  • Seyed Mohammad Seyedi

    (K. N. Toosi University of Technology)

Abstract

This study aims to identify the trends, methods, drivers, and risks associated with fundraising for charities in Iran, while also evaluating expert perspectives on their future applicability. To ensure effective planning and investment, charitable organizations must recognize the fundraising methods likely to expand in the coming years and take into account the key drivers and risks that significantly influence these trends. Based on a literature review and expert interviews, 62 fundraising methods, 7 drivers, and 10 risks were initially identified, then refined and prioritized using the Delphi method and TOPSIS ranking.The key trends expected to shape the future of fundraising include crowdfunding-based approaches, engagement with high-net-worth donors, the promotion of corporate social responsibility (CSR) partnerships, and the expansion of stock market-based fundraising. The primary drivers identified are technological adoption, enhanced transparency, and impact assessment, while major risks include administrative corruption, reduced social capital, and economic instability. This study is the first to focus on the methods, drivers, and risks of fundraising in Iranian charities, taking into consideration the country’s cultural, religious, and economic context. The findings offer a strategic framework for the future planning and development of fundraising initiatives within Iranian charitable organizations.

Suggested Citation

  • Seyed Hosein Seyedi & Ali Najjar & Seyed Mohammad Seyedi, 2025. "The trends of fundraising in Iranian charities: methods, drivers, and risks," International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, Springer;International Association of Public and Non-Profit Marketing, vol. 22(3), pages 751-784, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:irpnmk:v:22:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s12208-025-00440-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s12208-025-00440-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12208-025-00440-1
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s12208-025-00440-1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Arthur C. Brooks, 2000. "Public subsidies and charitable giving: Crowding out, crowding in, or both?," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 19(3), pages 451-464.
    2. O'Dwyer, Brendan & Unerman, Jeffrey, 2008. "The paradox of greater NGO accountability: A case study of Amnesty Ireland," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 33(7-8), pages 801-824.
    3. Erica Harris & Christine Petrovits & Michelle H. Yetman, 2017. "Why Bad Things Happen to Good Organizations: The Link Between Governance and Asset Diversions in Public Charities," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 146(1), pages 149-166, November.
    4. Rose Abdullah & Abdul Ghafar Ismail, 2017. "Taking stock of the waqf-based Islamic microfinance model," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 44(8), pages 1018-1031, August.
    5. Ebrahim, Alnoor, 2003. "Accountability In Practice: Mechanisms for NGOs," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 31(5), pages 813-829, May.
    6. Yakup Çelikbilek & Fatih Tüysüz, 2020. "An in-depth review of theory of the TOPSIS method: An experimental analysis," Journal of Management Analytics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(2), pages 281-300, April.
    7. Andreoni, James, 1990. "Impure Altruism and Donations to Public Goods: A Theory of Warm-Glow Giving?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 100(401), pages 464-477, June.
    8. J. Gregory Dees, 2008. "Philanthropy and Enterprise: Harnessing the Power of Business and Social Entrepreneurship for Development," Innovations: Technology, Governance, Globalization, MIT Press, vol. 3(3), pages 119-132, July.
    9. repec:idn:jimfjn:v:3:y:2018:i:specialissuei:p:1-26 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Bao, Jingyuan & Durango-Cohen, Elizabeth J. & Levontin, Liat & Durango-Cohen, Pablo L., 2022. "Analysis of factors influencing recurring donations in a university setting: A compound poisson mixture regression model," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 489-503.
    11. Muhammad Shulthoni & Norma Md Saad & Saim Kayadibi & Muhammad Irwan Ariffin, 2018. "Waqf Fundraising Management: A Proposal For A Sustainable Finance Of The Waqf Institutions," Journal of Islamic Monetary Economics and Finance, Bank Indonesia, vol. 3(Special I), pages 153-178, May.
    12. H. Daniel Heist & Genevieve G. Shaker & Rachel M. Sumsion & Jenna Tomlinson & Alyssa Minor, 2025. "How Donor Advised Funds Change Fundraising," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-28, April.
    13. Cathy Pharoah & Sarah Tanner, 1997. "Trends in charitable giving," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 18(4), pages 427-444, January.
    14. Norhasni Zainal Abiddin & Irmohizam Ibrahim & Shahrul Azuwar Abdul Aziz, 2022. "Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Their Part towards Sustainable Community Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-13, April.
    15. Francesca Battaglia & Marika Carboni & Antonella Francesca Cicchiello & Stefano MonferrÃ, 2021. "Assessing the Effects of Anti-corruption Law on Entrepreneurial Finance: Evidence from Latin America," Journal of Emerging Market Finance, Institute for Financial Management and Research, vol. 20(1), pages 48-78, April.
    16. Geoff A Wilson & Kaley Hart, 2000. "Financial Imperative or Conservation Concern? EU Farmers' Motivations for Participation in Voluntary Agri-Environmental Schemes," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 32(12), pages 2161-2185, December.
    17. Thomas, Suman Ann & Feng, Shanfei & Krishnan, Trichy V., 2015. "To retain? To upgrade? The effects of direct mail on regular donation behavior," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 48-63.
    18. Daniel W. Elfenbein & Brian McManus, 2010. "A Greater Price for a Greater Good? Evidence That Consumers Pay More for Charity-Linked Products," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 2(2), pages 28-60, May.
    19. Bariş K. Yörük, 2012. "Do Charitable Solicitations Matter? A Comparative Analysis of Fundraising Methods," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 33(4), pages 467-487, December.
    20. A. B. Atkinson, 2007. "The Long Run Earnings Distribution In Five Countries: “Remarkable Stability,” U, V Or W?," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 53(1), pages 1-24, March.
    21. Peter T. L. Popkowski Leszczyc & Michael H. Rothkopf (deceased), 2010. "Charitable Motives and Bidding in Charity Auctions," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 56(3), pages 399-413, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Michele Fioretti, 2022. "Caring or Pretending to Care? Social Impact, Firms' Objectives, and Welfare (former title: Social Responsibility and Firm's Objectives)," SciencePo Working papers hal-03393065, HAL.
    2. Foster, Joshua, 2020. "Loss aversion and sunk cost sensitivity in all-pay auctions for charity: Theory and experiments," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    3. Schwirplies, Claudia & Lange, Andreas, 2024. "Posted offers with charitable promises: True preferences and strategic behavior," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 308-326.
    4. Ernan Haruvy & Peter T. L. Popkowski Leszczyc, 2015. "The Loser’s Bliss in Auctions with Price Externality," Games, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-23, July.
    5. Feicht, Robert & Grimm, Veronika & Seebauer, Michael, 2016. "An experimental study of corporate social responsibility through charitable giving in Bertrand markets," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 88-101.
    6. Marieta Valente, 2015. "Ethical Differentiation and Consumption in an Incentivized Market Experiment," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 47(1), pages 51-69, August.
    7. Aseem Kaul & Jiao Luo, 2018. "An economic case for CSR: The comparative efficiency of for‐profit firms in meeting consumer demand for social goods," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(6), pages 1650-1677, June.
    8. Keval Amin & Erica Harris, 2022. "The Effect of Investor Sentiment on Nonprofit Donations," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 175(2), pages 427-450, January.
    9. Boomsma, Roel & O'Dwyer, Brendan, 2019. "Constituting the governable NGO: The correlation between conduct and counter-conduct in the evolution of funder-NGO accountability relations," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 1-20.
    10. Hao Liang & Luc Renneboog, 2017. "Corporate donations and shareholder value," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 33(2), pages 278-316.
    11. Urquía-Grande, Elena & Estébanez, Raquel Pérez & Alcaraz-Quiles, Francisco José, 2022. "Impact of Non-Profit Organizations’ Accountability: Empirical evidence from the democratic Republic of Congo," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 28(C).
    12. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/7fsnj6af7v9ncrf76qn5p5on9e is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Thomas A. Garrett & Russell M. Rhine, 2007. "Does government spending really crowd out charitable contributions? new time series evidence," Working Papers 2007-012, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
    14. Behrens, Christoph & Emrich, Eike & Hämmerle, Martin & Pierdzioch, Christian, 2017. "Match quality, crowding out, and crowding in: Empirical evidence for German sports clubs," Working Papers of the European Institute for Socioeconomics 21, European Institute for Socioeconomics (EIS), Saarbrücken.
    15. Cuckston, Thomas, 2022. "Accounts of NGO performance as calculative spaces: Wild Animals, wildlife restoration and strategic agency," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    16. Owens, Mark F. & Rennhoff, Adam D. & Baum, Charles L., 2018. "Consumer demand for charitable purchases: Evidence from a field experiment on Girl Scout Cookie sales," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 47-63.
    17. Daniel W. Elfenbein & Raymond Fisman & Brian McManus, 2019. "Does Cheap Talk Affect Market Outcomes? Evidence from eBay," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 11(4), pages 305-326, October.
    18. Paul Pecorino, 2015. "Olson’s Logic of Collective Action at fifty," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 162(3), pages 243-262, March.
    19. Paul Pecorino, 2013. "Monopolistic Competition and Public Good Provision with By‐product Firms," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(4), pages 875-893, December.
    20. Kameshwari Shankar & Suman Ghosh, 2022. "Price discrimination through cause‐related marketing," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 787-817, November.
    21. Adriaan R. Soetevent & Te Bao & Anouk L. Schippers, 2016. "A Commercial Gift for Charity," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 16-009/VII, Tinbergen Institute.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:irpnmk:v:22:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s12208-025-00440-1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.